Mackerel with Apples and Beetroot Chutney on Verona Quartz

Kitchens & Worktops
Written By Marco Fazio

chef Greg Emmerson shows us how to prepare a delicious mackerel recipe

 
Mackerel with Apples and Beetroot Chutney on Verona Quartz - photo Marco Joe Fazio
 

Meet the chef, Greg Emmerson, who you may recognise from MasterChef where he made it to the semi-finals.

 

And here is Greg making the recipe in our outdoor kitchen. Verona Quartz is the worktop of choice for this recipe.

 

Mackerel with Apples and Beetroot Chutney on Verona Quartz

by Greg Emmerson


Serves: 2 people

Preparation: 30-45 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

ingredients

  • 2 fresh mackerel

  • 2 medium-sized beetroot’s

  • 1 Granny Smith apple

  • 150ml Sambaizu vinegar

  • sea herbs

  • 2g xantham gum

  • Kinshi seaweed

  • 10g caper berries (small)

  • 150ml Basque cider vinegar

  • 100ml water

  • 2 unwaxed lemons, finely grated zest only 100ml/3½fl oz lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)

  • 1 red onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds

  • 2 large cooking apples

  • 75g sugar

  • 25g salt

  • 10g tellicherry peppercorns

preparation

Wash and trim the beetroots, but do not peel. Put them in a large saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30–40 minutes until tender. This will depend on their size. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin by lightly rubbing it. Cut them into 1cm/½ cubes and set aside. 

Put the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, red onion, apple and fennel seeds into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. 

Place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple pieces have softened to a purée.

Add the diced beetroot and return the mixture to a simmer for a few minutes until the beetroot has heated through. Sprinkle in the sugar and xantham gum and stir until dissolved. Cook for 20–25 minutes or until the mixture is thick, glossy and jam-like. 

Just before the end of cooking, stir in the capers and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

Add the mackerel fillets to the pan (skin side down) and cook until the skin is charred.

Peel the Granny Smith apples and cut out several balls using a melon baller.

Prepare the pickling liquid by adding 150ml each of the Sambaizu and Basque cider vinegar, water, peppercorns, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat until lukewarm.

Add the apple balls to pickling liquid (leave for 20 mins).

Assemble dish. Place a spoonful of beetroot chutney off-centre on the plate. Carefully place a mackerel fillet on top of the chutney, add three apple balls and then sea herbs and seaweed.

project details

kitchen worktop: Verona quartz

chef: Greg Emmerson

presenter: Donna Thacker

production: Marco Joe Fazio Creatives

Marco Fazio

Marco Joe Fazio is Chief Creative Officer and Director of Photography at space+style™ by Marco Joe Fazio Ltd, where he leads visual storytelling, photography, cinematography and content strategy for clients across hospitality, food & drink, fashion, architecture and design.

Born and raised in Tuscany, Italy, Marco discovered photography at an early age through traditional film and darkroom printing. Before becoming a full-time photographer, he spent two decades working in architecture, interior architecture and lighting design, founding an award-winning practice and leading multidisciplinary teams on projects for international fashion brands.

After moving to London in 2008, Marco became a Chartered Architect with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), combining his architectural background with a distinctive photographic approach that connects people, spaces and brands through visual storytelling.

His work has been recognised with the Fellowship of the British Institute of Professional Photography (FBIPP), together with the prestigious Peter Grugeon Award for Best Fellowship of the Year in 2016. He is also a member of the Association of Photographers (AOP).

Today, Marco specialises in creating strategic visual content for luxury hospitality, boutique hotels, restaurants, drinks brands, interior designers and manufacturers. His work combines commercial photography, cinematography and brand storytelling to help businesses communicate their expertise, craftsmanship and identity through compelling visual narratives.

Alongside his visual practice, Marco brings more than a decade of experience in music composition and sound engineering, enabling him to create bespoke soundtracks and immersive sound design that complement his film productions.

Education and mentoring remain central to his professional practice. He founded the telling [fashion] stories workshop series and lectures in photography and visual communication at London South Bank University (LSBU), supporting the next generation of creative professionals.

The combination of architecture, photography, filmmaking and music gives Marco a distinctive multidisciplinary perspective, allowing him to create work that is visually refined, emotionally engaging and strategically aligned with each client's brand.

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